Game apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES PRENDERGAST, OF LE ROY, NE\V YORK.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,194, dated May 12, 1891.

I 7 Application filed January 2, 1891- Serial No. 376,543. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES PRENDERGAST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Le Boy, in the county of Genesee and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved game apparatus complete, the removable cover portion being in position upon the lower or body part; Fig. 2, a top plan of my device with the cover removed and showing the revolving disk disposed in position for service; Fig. 3, a top plan of the base or body portion with the revolving disk removed and showing the disk-supporting plate; Fig. 4, a top plan of the revolving disk detached; Fig. 5, an inverted or bottom plan of said disk detached; and Fig. 6 represents a number of the spherical bodies (or balls) utilized in the operating of my device for game purposes.

Similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

My invention is an improvement in that class or species of game apparatus adapted more especially for the purposes of a rafflebox or games wherein it is impossible to predetermine the final positionor arrangement of the individual factors deciding decisively the results thereof in a winning sense.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction, co-operation of parts, and manipulation hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claim hereto annexed. It is constructed as follows:

1 is the body proper of the apparatus, and 2 the removable cover adapted to fit thereon, asrequired.

A is the annular or ring-shaped base of the body, its practically vertical wall rising a desired height and provided centrally and interiorly with a supporting-plate B, (preferably metallie,) which supports the configurated revolving disk 0 on a horizontal plane. The supporting-plate B comprises in an integral piece the central flat seat at, having a central bearing (or circular orifice) b, and c are radial arms extending horizontally from said seat portion and connecting with an annular rim portion d, that is rigidly secured to the surrounding base Aby dowels or pins 6 or other satisfactory means.

The configurated disk C, supported by the plate B, has on its upper face a central rounded protuberance f, from the circumferential base of which diverge radial spokes or dividingribs g, (preferably six in number,) that intersect with an annular flange 71 having its wall vertical and standing slightly inclined outwardly. At the top of the aforesaid annular flanged portion h is a circumferential horizontal ledge i, projecting beyond the outer surface of the flange aforesaid. Both the external peripheral edge ofsaid ledge and of the flange 72, are out of contact with the adjacent rim d of the body, and thereby insuring free and unobstructed revolution of the disk 0. The surface of the disk lying between the dividing ribs or spokes g gradually inclines or slants downwardly toward the flange h, and thereby forming inclined or angular pockets K between the adjacent ribs or spokes and the barrier-wall created by the annular flange h aforesaid. The upper surfaces of the respective ribs 9 lie on a horizontal plane practically coincident with the top surface of the flange h and bn a horizontal plane intersecting the central rounded protuberance f a short distance below its apex. Centrally the revolving disk C and diametrically underneath the protuberance f aforementioned is a cylindrical hub portion Z, provided centrally beneath with a stud m, resting on the seat a of the supporting-plate B of the body, and n is a gudgeon or pivot-pin centrallyprojecting from the stud 'm of the hub of rotating disk 0, said gudgeon fitting into the bearing or orifice b of the supporting-plate aforesaid. 5 This gudgeon, firmly secured to the aforementioned stud,is suitablylubricated that it may readily turn in its bearing 1), and the under surface of the stud is also oiled or lubricated that it may travel over its bed with but a 100 minimum of friction. The circumferential ledge i of the annular flange h of the rotating disk has upon its top surface at points preferably equidistant from the outward termination of the dividing ribs or spokes g (and consequently lineal the center of the pockets K) slightly raised projections o of square or block shape, each of the said raised portions being provided with dice-spots of different value, said spots bein formed by drilling into the metallic faces or by printing or other preferred means.

I preferably, as shown in the disk illustrated, utilize a revolving disk provided with six receiving pockets or carriers, and,instead of disposing the dice-spots in their regular numerical order at stated intervals around the disk, I by preference dispose each individual group of dice-spots in such irregular order cireumferentially that by the adding together of any two groups of dice-spots diametrically opposite each other a corresponding total will be the result, as exemplified in the drawings. Yet it is obvious that the dicespots may be disposed around the circumferential ledge in their numerical order, instead of irregularly, if so preferred.

The cover 2 (adapted to fit closely upon the body portion 1) is interiorly hollowed or concaved at its swelled circumferential bottom portion 7 adjacent to where it lies above the revolving disk, and thus creating a chamber 11 thereat of a size circumferentially corresponding to the interior circumference of the annular flange 7L of the disk 0.

r is a neck or stem portion 'ising centrally from the swelled part of the cover and provided with a cylindrical duct or passage 5, formed vertically through said neck, said du ct terminating at its bottom in the circumferential chamber 1) and upwardly in a bowl or cup receptacle 6.

The external surface of the cover and its attached bowl and neck portion is configurated or ornamented, as preferred, and also the body or base portion of my device.

It will be observed that in the construction of my device, as shown, the internal peripheral surface of the annular base A has upwardly an outward flare or bevel, and the annular rim (Z of the srqaporting-plate B has a corresponding flare or bevel, whereby the said supporting-plate is seated in position and prevented from dropping downwardly out of proper position.

r are marbles or other solid spherical bodies used in connection with my apparatus.

In the utilization of my device in conjunction with spherical bodies it is obvious that varied games may be played, as determined by the players.

In the employment of my apparatus as a raffle-box, and for which it is the more particularly intended, I preferably employ live or six spheres, each pocket of the rotating disk to have the capacity of holding that number, if required.

The cover is provided with the centrallypcrforated bowl or receiver at its top,in order that a number of spherical bodies may be dropped therein in unison.

The cover being off of the body or base of the apparatus, the rotating disk is started to revolving by the player grasping a spoke thereof and swinging the disk around until it acquires considerable momentum, whereupon the top is placed in position on the body, (its circumferential flange u snugly littin g into the circumferential receptive recess to of the body, thus preventing longitudinal movement or displacement) and one or more spheres of such diameter as to freely pass along the duct of the cover portion are dropped into the bowl at top of cover and are precipitated through the duct and chamber of the cover, and, striking the central protubeiance of the fast-revolvin g disk, rebound and glance from side to side of the disk or from pocket to pocket thereof, and gradually, as the revolution of the disk becomes slower through loss of momentum, finding positive lodgment in some individual pocket of the series, the number of spheres in any one or more pockets, in connection with the value of the dice-spot adjacent to said pocket or pockets, determining the aggregate number of points won by the player making the play, the result of a throw being ascertained by the removal of the cover incidental to the rotating of the disk for another throw or drop of the spheres into the interior of the device.

As is apparent, the cover (in position) not only retains the rebounding spheres Within proper circumscribed limits and prevents dislodgment of same, but additionally screens or hides from the players the face of the retating disk with the spheres thereon, and whereby the results of a throw cannot be known until the removal of the cover. Obviously numerals or other preferred characters or distinguishing-marks of varied value may be used upon the revolving disk in lieu of the dice-spots represented when deemed preferable.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is

The combination, in a game apparatus, of an annular base, a central supportingplate secured to the base, a horizontally-disposcd disk pivotally mounted on said. supportingplate, a series of pockets on the upper face of the disk created by radially-disposed ribs terminating centrally at a protuberance or raised portion and outwardly at a perpendicular circumferential flange or ri1n,a series of dice-spots or other distinguishing marks of varied valuation placed at stated intervals upon the upper face of the flanges horizontal ledge, and a chambered cover resting upon the base portion and circumferentially inclosing the configurated disk and provided with a neck portion terminating upwardlyin IOC a semicircular bowl or receiver portion, said In testimony whereofI affix my signature, in bowl interior communicating with the chalnpresence of two witnesses, this 18th day of IO ber of the cover and underlying rotating disk September, 1890.

by a vertical duct or passage extending 5 through the neck portion of the cover and JAMES PRENDERGAST' whereby spherical bodies maybe precipitated Witnesses: upon the rotating disk, substantially as de- WVM. H. MILLS,

scribed. NELSON KINNE. 

